I Always Thought I'd See You Again
by rayrae118
Summary: Sequel to Fire and Rain. Something went wrong, and instead of Logan's conscious being sent back, somehow, they all ended up back in the past. Nearly ten years before Shadowcat meant to send Logan. Oh yeah, and did I mention all the dead people who are suddenly alive? Xover with Days of Future Past and my own AU.
1. Chapter 1

**So here we are with the story that inspired my previous story! When I thought up the concept of **_**Fire and Rain**_**, it really came about as an idea I had concerning the **_**Days of Future Past**_** timeline, and I worked backwards from there. **

**I have done a whole bunch of internet research on various characters that I'm less familiar with, but there is a disclaimer here, that I am not really a hugely avid X-Men fan. At this point in time, I've seen the newest X-Men movies, and the first one with Patrick Stewart. It's on my list to see the others (well, the second one, because everyone I know is telling me not to bother with the third one or the Origins one). But like I said, I did a lot of internet research, to try and place the characters I saw in **_**Days of Future Past**_**, and get them right. And for the record, I do know that Scott is technically Alex's older brother, but I switched that for my story. **

**Anyway, enjoy, and the standard disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.**

Charles Xavier, known to his friends and students as Professor X, glanced warily around at his surroundings. Next to him, his companions also seemed rather confused.

"Professor?" Shadowcat asked hesitantly, lowering her hands from where they had been, outstretched in front of her. Just a few seconds earlier, she had been concentrating on sending the mind of their ally Logan, also known as the Wolverine, back in time, to stop a war before it ever began.

That did not explain how she found herself back at the Xavier Mansion, where she had enjoyed many a day, as a student and later, a teacher. Nor did it explain why Charles and Erik were with her.

Logan shook himself off and turned around to face them. "Something tells me this isn't what you had in mind," he said somewhat unnecessarily.

Shadowcat glared at him. "I told you how my power works," she shot back. "You were just supposed to wake up in your younger body." She turned her attention back to the mansion gleaming ahead of them. "I don't get it."

Charles reached over and rested a hand on her arm. She looked down at him and he smiled softly up at her from his wheelchair. "We will figure this out," he assured her. She nodded, and he removed his arm, turning to Erik. "Perhaps we should go inside? This is, after all, my house."

Erik frowned minutely. "If we are back in time, and I suspect we are, since the mansion is still standing, wouldn't it be, well, dangerous, to barge in on your past self?"

Charles pondered that, and then shook his head. "It would depend on what time we have landed in. Shadowcat's attempt was to put Logan in the early seventies; however, we can all tell that that did not happen as it should have. There is a possibility that I am not even home." He sighed, his eyes growing wistful as he thought about his younger self. "There was a long period of time when the mansion stood empty. I did not return for quite a while."

Logan cleared his throat. "The only way to know is to go check it out."

Charles smiled at him. "Precisely. Shall we?"

Without waiting, he began to guide himself down the path and towards the large double door entrance. The other three shared a look, before they followed their leader.

**XXX**

Jamie rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh. It was hard, though. It seemed as if all she had been doing in the last three years was laughing. Or smiling. Or just having fun.

Three years ago, she had been living a nightmare. Practically a slave to her father, she had been abused horribly, physically and sexually. She had been beaten. She had been raped. She had been used by anyone willing to pay.

But then Charles and Erik had found her and saved her. She had had no idea what life could be like, before them.

Sure, things had been a little chaotic in the beginning, what with having to deal with the threat of Shaw trying to instigate World War Three – and that just brought about a whole mess of other problems, as she came face to face with her past. Shaw, or 'Strauss', as he had called himself when she had first met him, had held her captive for a year, running tests and experiments. Sure, he had merely told her he was helping her 'learn control', and 'expand her powers', but it had been torture, plain and simple. She had almost been relieved when he had handed her back to her father after a year, so that she could at least go back to the 'normal' level of nightmare.

It hadn't been easy, and she knew she had caused the inhabitants of the mansion many sleepless nights, but with their help, she had managed to put the past behind her. Not completely out of her mind, but she had been able to move on.

She could thank her new family for that, but most importantly, she could thank her boyfriend. Charles was probably the first and only person that she knew, without a doubt, understood her. He was thoughtful, and kind, and never pushed her further than she was comfortable.

After Shaw had been dealt with, it was as if everything just fell into place. Moira had returned to the CIA, and been promoted to head up the new Mutant Relations Division. Charles, with the help of the rest of the group, worked hard to turn the mansion into a school for gifted children. They had even gotten it certified as an actual school, so that they could give their students real diplomas.

Once they had everything ready, they used Cerebro to find new students. Within six months, they were up and running. Charles had put his foot down and insisted that the younger part of the team – Alex, Sean, and Jamie – attend classes and get a diploma. Of course, Jamie had pulled a pout and asked if she could just take the tests to graduate, rather than attend classes for another two years. Charles may have been a powerful telepath, but he couldn't resist Jamie, ever.

Jamie passed, of course, not that any of them had doubted it, and took up a job at the school helping new students to learn control. To no one's surprise except her own, she was really good at it. She was so easy to talk to, that within a few months, she also became a sort of guidance counselor. People felt comfortable coming to her with their problems, possibly because she knew what was going on in their minds already, so she knew which questions to ask and any topics to stay away from.

After two and a half years, it was obvious that the school was a rousing success.

It was a safe haven for anyone with special abilities who needed a place to go. While the wider public still wasn't aware of the existence of mutants, the government knew, and through Moira's department, they let Charles and the school know if they came across any mutants in trouble, legal or otherwise.

It made Charles happy to see the mansion filled with laughter and joy, rather than fear and anger as it had been when he was growing up. So many people had come, seeking sanctuary, seeking family. Last year they had had to start plans to add more housing, as they were quickly running out of space in the mansion. Two dorm-like buildings were under construction, stretching out from the east and west wings. They would be completed within the next few months. Just in time for the new semester.

Charles' arms around her waist drew Jamie out of her thoughts of the past, and she looked up at him, losing the will to hold in her mirth.

Charles grinned, leaning down to kiss her, and Jamie wasn't complaining. She reached up and circled her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

The two could have happily stayed that way all evening, if it weren't for the rather pointed coughs distracting them.

Reluctantly, they pulled apart, though not without throwing their interrupters – Angel and Erik – withering glares.

There had been some initial awkwardness when the two had announced their relationship to their friends, but thankfully, none of them made an issue out of it. Charles had been on the receiving end of more than a few threats, as everyone wanted to make sure he would treat Jamie well, but other than that, they accepted it without question.

As Raven had put it, it only made sense. They were very similar, after all – both telepaths, both with tormented pasts. Thankfully, she had made that observation in private, since Charles still didn't like to talk about his own childhood.

Their relationship was still going strong, three years later. On Jamie's last birthday, their three year anniversary, Charles had finally gotten up the courage to ask her to marry him. Of course, it hadn't worked out exactly the way he had planned, since Jamie had seen what he had been about to ask, and had said yes before he had gotten the question out. At least she had let him get down on one knee and present her with the gorgeous diamond and sapphire ring, even if she had already accepted. It was a tradition, after all.

Erik rolled his eyes at the couple as he pushed passed them and headed towards the stairs. He got that they were together, and they loved each other, but did they really have to show it to everyone?

Angel shook her head fondly. "You know, you do have bedrooms you could do things like that in, right?"

Charles looked at Jamie and raised an eyebrow.

Jamie tilted her head to the side, considering. After a moment, she shook her head regretfully. "Unfortunately, we're going to have to take a rain check. Azazel just showed up, with Moira and Riptide. And…" she paused, and an almost puzzled look crossed her face, before she forced her expression to careful neutrality. "That's for you." She stood on her toes to give Charles a peck on the lips, before heading to the backyard, where Azazel had landed. The teleporter came and go as he pleased, usually bringing and taking his best friend with him. They never forced him to stay, and he was happy to help out whenever they asked. Like bringing Moira for the weekend – part business, mostly pleasure. The CIA agent had been working eighty hour weeks for the past few months, and was in desperate need of a break, hence the weekend trip to Xavier's School for Gifted Children. It gave her a chance to relax, as well as giving her and Charles an opportunity to get some work-related issues dealt with.

Angel and Charles shared a confused look as Jamie left.

"What –?" Angel was cut off by the knocking coming from the front door. She looked back at the path Jamie had taken, and shook her head. "Got it," she muttered.

Charles was still confused as he walked over to the door. He could feel the presence of several minds waiting patiently on the other side, but what he was getting wasn't making much sense, and he didn't like to push deeper without permission, even if they weren't expecting visitors or new students, and there shouldn't be anyone calling this late in the evening either.

Nothing could have prepared him for what was standing on the other side of the door.

The three people in the background looked familiar, but it was the man in the wheelchair that drew Charles' attention immediately. He looked… Well, he looked almost like Charles' father, if he was being honest.

The man gave him a half smile, hiding his own confusion over the differences. If they had gotten the time right, he should be in a state of depression. And that wasn't even getting into the woman standing behind him. Was that _Angel_?

After a moment, Charles cleared his throat. "Can I help you?" he asked hesitantly.

The man in the wheelchair nodded slowly. "Forgive us for the intrusion," he began. "I'm sure this must be a bit of a shock to you."

Angel raised an eyebrow. "We get new arrivals all the time. That's not unusual. Mutants know they can come here for a place to stay, and a place to learn. But usually they don't look like you."

Charles glanced behind him and gave her a look. Angel shrugged agreeably, and stepped back to let him handle it.

Charles turned back to the group standing on the doorstep. "I will admit to some confusion," he said carefully. "Especially since I know for a fact that Logan is currently in the dining room eating his fourth helping of pie. Perhaps you should explain?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

They all turned their attention to the new voice, and Charles smiled at Jamie, nodding a greeting to Moira, Azazel, and Riptide who had appeared behind her.

"What's going on?" Moira asked, concerned. "Charles, why does that man look like you?"

Charles grimaced, wishing he could answer.

Jamie smirked lightly. "Seriously? With all the mutant powers out there in the world, no one gets it?"

The older Erik and Charles shared a confused look, and Jamie sighed exasperatedly.

"They're from the future." She stopped and tilted her head to the side. "Or rather, they're from _a _future."

Charles raised an eyebrow, observing the group warily. "Is that true?"

Erik nodded soberly. "Approximately fifty years, we thought. Though it seems we miscalculated, since our intention was not to physically appear in this time."

Shadowcat nodded and stepped forward slightly. "I'm not sure what happened," she admitted. "I was just going to send Logan's mind back fifty years, and then there was this explosion, and we all ended up on the front lawn of the mansion."

Charles looked at her, realizing who she must be. They had just enrolled Katherine a few months ago. She was currently a precocious thirteen year old, only just starting to understand the limits of her powers.

Jamie seemed to already know who she was, and grinned at the older version of the spunky teenager currently watching television with several other kids in the living room.

"Perhaps you should come inside," Charles said, resigned. He stepped back and let the four time travelers enter the mansion.

Jamie preceded them to the living room. The futures heard her request the kids to leave, and surprisingly to them, none of the kids really put up much of a fight.

A couple of the kids only protested when Jamie suggested they adjourn to the study area, but she just raised her eyebrow. "You're telling me you've all finished your homework?" she asked archly. A couple of the kids blushed and looked away, and Jamie nodded knowingly. "Exactly. I know for a fact that you still need to finish that report for History, Kitty. Don't deny it."

The teenager rolled her eyes, groaning. "You weren't supposed to tell people, Jamie," she complained.

Jamie shrugged. "Maybe now you'll get it done. It's due on Monday."

Kitty groaned again, but let her friends lead her out of the room and up the stairs.

Shadowcat stared at the younger version of herself, watching her until she had disappeared from view. Then she turned back to the others. "That was me!"

Charles nodded slightly. "Yes, you arrived a few months ago. So far, you are doing remarkably well. Perhaps we should take a seat?"

He gestured for the futures to enter first, before looking at Jamie and seeming to have a silent conversation. After a few moments, she nodded and he sighed, turning to look at Angel. "Would you get the others?"

Angel frowned. "Which others?"

Charles bit his lip. "Raven, Erik, Hank, Alex, and Sean."

Angel nodded and quickly disappeared to fetch the requested people, as the rest of the group entered the living room.

"So is someone going to explain what's going on?" Logan asked tersely, ignoring the warning look _his_ Charles shot him.

The other Charles glanced at him amusedly. It seemed that Logan wouldn't change too much in fifty years. He was still as impatient as ever. "I'm sure we'll figure this all out soon. I would like the others to be here, though. We make decisions together."

"Can you at least tell us what year it is?" Erik asked, feeling more and more confused by the minute.

"1965," was the reply.

The future group all shared startled looks. That was nearly ten years before they had been attempting to show up. And there were still many other questions that they wanted answered.

At this point in time, the school had just been taking off for them, but they definitely didn't have as many students as Charles suspected were currently in residence. He could feel the minds around him, many more than there should be.

There was also confusion over the names he recognized the younger him asking Angel to fetch. What were Erik and Raven doing here? Shouldn't they be off on their own by now? What about Moira? He had erased her memory, so why was she here? And Azazel and Riptide? They had never been comrades in his lifetime. The other names he remembered as his first team, but he had lost most of them right at the start of the war. So much didn't make sense.

And just who was this girl that everyone seemed to look at as a leader? He knew without a doubt that he had never seen her before.

The girl who was currently looking at him with an expression halfway between shock and sorrow.

What the hell was going on?

Jamie could see everything that had happened to bring them to this point, and she couldn't believe how badly things had deteriorated in their time. Tracing it back, she saw the tipping point. What would make Raven do such a thing?

A few minutes later, Angel returned, the requested people trailing behind her, all looking incredibly confused.

They took seats, and stared at the newcomers, waiting.

After a moment, the younger Charles coughed, clearing his throat. "Do we need to do introductions?" he asked, unsure of how to handle this type of situation. Honestly, it had never come up before.

The older Charles looked around the room and furrowed his brow. "I believe Erik and I know most of you, however, for Logan and Shadowcat, perhaps it would be beneficial. Am I correct in assuming that you know all of us?"

Charles nodded, and looked over to his right, where several people were seated on the loveseat next to the couch. "Over there we have Erik, Raven, and Hank." He turned to the recliner in the corner. "That's Alex and Sean." He looked at the other sofa. "Moira, Azazel, and Riptide." They each nodded in turn, and Charles turned his attention to the young woman curled into his side, resting an arm across her shoulders to draw her closer. Now that he noticed it, the group from the future was watching them with curiosity and extreme confusion. "This is Jamie, and I'm certain you know who I am."

The older Charles nodded, still confused. He had never really had any serious relationships, but it was obvious by their actions that this version of him was romantically involved with the strange woman.

Erik cleared his throat. "Now that that's taken care of, shall we move on?"

Moira nodded quickly. "Yes, I find myself curious as to how you got here, and more importantly, why you felt it necessary to travel into the past in the first place."

Charles glanced at his companions, and Shadowcat leaned forward. "We really don't know how we ended up here. The idea was to send Logan's mind back to his past self, so that he could hopefully change a few key events that would fix a really messed up future."

"Wait, so our future's gonna be really messed up?" Sean asked, furrowing his brow.

Jamie looked at him. "Different future, Sean."

"Yeah, I really don't get that," Alex commented. "How can there be, like, two futures?"

Jamie shrugged. "It's like a river. Everything travels in one direction. You throw a rock into the river, and all of a sudden, it's not just one river anymore, it's two. You throw another rock in, and there's three rivers, all flowing in the same direction, but each one different."

Silence met her claim. "So… you're saying that there's more than one reality out there," Raven clarified.

Jamie lifted one shoulder up, her gaze focused more on the floor than any one individual. "How can we prove that there isn't?"

The older Charles really did not like feeling confused. He focused his attention on the strange woman. "I really do not understand how you came to be here. The rest I remember from my youth, however I have never seen you before."

"Really? How could that be?" Moira asked.

The younger Charles pursed his lips, deep in thought. "The only conclusion I can draw is that the time stream diverged sometime before we met Jamie."

"Perhaps it might first be prudent to understand why you all needed to come back in time, before we start getting into specific differences between our realities," Erik commented pointedly.

The younger Charles nodded immediately. "An excellent idea, Erik. Well?" he asked, turning back to the future group.

His older counterpart sighed, and, with the help of his companions, told them about the war. How he and Erik had met, the Cuban Missile Crisis that had thankfully been diverted, how Erik had dealt with Shaw and then deflected Moira's bullet into his back – the younger Erik looked shocked and more than a little sick at the thought of what the other version of him had done. What would have made him do such a thing?

The future Erik observed his younger self carefully, noting the reactions with interest. What had happened to knock him onto the right path so much sooner?

As evening turned into night, Charles continued with the tale; he spoke of the division of their group, of Raven leaving with Erik, Angel, Azazel, and Riptide on that beach. Of his decision to erase the memories from Moira's mind – the CIA agent looked furious at that, but wisely held her tongue. As concisely as possible, he explained Raven's vendetta against Trask, and how she had murdered him and inadvertently set them on a path of no return. He informed them of the Sentinel Project, and how things had deteriorated rapidly. Within fifty years, mutants were being hunted, rounded up, and forced to live in camps like animals. Humans who tried to help found themselves locked up with the rest of them.

Charles finished by explaining how some of them had managed to stay free, or even escaped from the camps. He mentioned how Kitty had been able to keep her group safe and alive by sending someone's conscious back a few days to warn the rest, allowing them to leave before the Sentinels showed up. She had contacted Charles, who had been on the run with Erik, Logan, and Storm, and got them to come to their location. The plan had been for Kitty to send Logan's mind back to just before Raven had killed Trask, and get Charles and Erik to stop her, thus changing the future.

However, something had gone wrong in the process. It had been just the four of them alone in the room, with the others watching the perimeter. Charles paused in his tale and looked at Shadowcat.

The time manipulator frowned, thinking about what had happened. "There was like, this explosion," she remembered. "I had just initiated a link with Logan's mind, when there was an explosion, like the Sentinels found us or something. I couldn't send someone back in time because we were busy with this plan. It just felt like the world blew up, and then…" She shrugged. "We were standing on the front lawn here."

Silence permeated as they all thought about the messed up future that these people had been living. Charles couldn't believe things were so different. What had happened to alter their realities so much?

He turned to look at Jamie. "What do you think?" he asked her.

Jamie glanced back, noticing that everyone was now watching her, waiting for her opinion. They tended to do things like this a lot. For some reason, they trusted her opinions and thoughts more than most others, even within their own small group.

She shrugged, curling further into his side. "I think you look kinda hot when you're bald."

Silence met her claim, before Raven and Angel burst out laughing at the expressions on both Charles' faces.

The younger Charles cleared his throat awkwardly. "You know what I meant."

Jamie smiled agreeably. "Still. You asked what I was thinking."

Charles rolled his eyes, but returned the smile and leaned down to kiss her.

The future group looked between the younger couple and the older Charles, trying to imagine him with a partner. As long as they had known him, he had never had a significant other.

Jamie and Charles pulled apart after a few moments, seeming oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, and after a brief, silent conversation, Charles sighed. "From what you've told us, the diversion in our times seems to have stemmed from the Missile Crisis three years ago."

The older Charles nodded slightly. "Yes, I can tell just from what I have observed that many things are different. Perhaps you can explain what happened at that point in your timeline?"

His counterpart spent a few minutes explaining how Moira came to him for help, their search for other mutants, and how the situation on that island in Cuba had been dealt with. He then moved on to the aftermath, and how they had worked to get the school up and running.

When he finished, the futures were speechless. What had made their attempt so different? Why had Erik been so much more willing to let Shaw live in this timeline?

After several minutes, the younger Charles cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should sleep on what we have learned, and work out how to resolve the issue tomorrow," he suggested.

His older counterpart nodded quickly. "An excellent idea, if I don't say so myself." Logan and the future Erik rolled their eyes at their friend's attempt at humor. Charles glanced at them but didn't comment. "Do you have guest rooms available? I am certain that the rooms we would normally use are probably already taken."

Jamie snorted softly, and the shrugged when everyone looked at her. "Just thinking about how all of this just seems normal. Seriously, we all just accepted this right from the start with no questions?"

They all glanced at each other, before Raven spoke. "You said it was true."

The futures were confused by that, but no one else questioned the fact that they were all apparently trusting a teenager implicitly.

The younger Charles coughed. "Right then, let's all get some rest, yeah? We've got some guest rooms open in the East wing. I'll show you where."

He leaned over and gave Jamie a kiss, before leading the future group out of the living room and towards the empty rooms.

_So, yeah. I'm still not sure where I'm going with this, but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. I don't think this will be a long story, maybe two or three chapters._

_Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize**

The two Eriks found themselves unable to sleep that night. And as if they needed any more proof that they were the same person, they both ended up in the same location, just before midnight.

Whenever Erik felt the need to do some solitary thinking, he found himself out in the back garden, at the same stone railing where Charles had first gotten him to realize the potential of his gifts.

He had only been there for a few minutes when he realized he wasn't alone. He turned suddenly, and then warily watched as his older counterpart joined him.

He watched the older him suspiciously, but the man just stepped up to the rail and observed the twinkling stars with an expression of intense concentration.

Slowly, the younger Erik returned to his own silent contemplation. It was at least five minutes later when the time traveler spoke.

"I know where the time stream diverged, but I still do not understand how the same person can be so different." The younger Erik turned to the side to face him head on, and raised an eyebrow. The older man sighed. "I eventually came to the same conclusions you have apparently already reached, but it took far too long. It was decades before Charles and I were able to get back to our early friendship, and even after we reconciled, it wasn't the same. So what happened?"

Erik pursed his lips, thinking about what he knew of the other timeline, and how their two paths could have diverged so completely. After a few minutes, he shrugged. "I suppose the short answer would be Jamie."

The older Erik furrowed his brow. "The girl who is with your Charles?"

Erik nodded once. "Charles and I found her while we were recruiting allies to combat Shaw. She was fifteen at the time."

"What is her power?"

Erik let out a slight laugh. "She's a telepath."

His older counterpart tilted his head to the side. "Like Charles?"

Erik shook his head slightly. "Don't let her hear you say that. The way she describes it, no two mutants are the same. Even if two people have the same ability, they manifest in different ways. Jamie's…" He paused, trying to find the words to describe her. "She's different from every person I've ever met before. She's also more powerful than Charles could ever hope to be." He snorted. "And that's a quote directly from him."

The older Erik felt himself frowning. Charles was the most powerful mutant he had ever come across, and he included himself in that statement.

The younger man glanced over at him and nodded. "I know. She manifested at four or five, or maybe earlier. She doesn't remember a time before her abilities."

"So how is she different from Charles, and why is she apparently the key to everything?" Erik really wanted clarification.

Younger Erik sighed. "She can't turn her abilities off. Charles can keep himself out of other people's minds, but Jamie can't. She can see everything – worst fears, deepest desires, and all that. She's good about keeping secrets and not sharing anything she 'hears'."

The future Erik nodded slowly, trying to comprehend how he could actually enjoy spending time with someone who knew everything about him. He would have expected himself to be more wary, and less willing to put himself in such a vulnerable position.

Erik shrugged. "You get used to it. And like I said, she doesn't go around telling people. But she's also good at knowing when you need to talk about something, and particularly which buttons to push to get you to open up. There's a reason she's the guidance counselor here. Everyone just feels comfortable coming to her with their problems, because most of the time, she already knows about them."

That made some sort of sense, but the older Erik still couldn't understand what had made him stay. Or more importantly, what had changed his mind about killing Shaw.

Knowing what the other him was thinking, Erik shook his head. "It was Jamie." The older man glanced up sharply, his expression confused. Erik let out a mirthless laugh. "I went into that submarine three years ago thinking I was going to kill him. But it was Jamie who stopped me."

The older Erik frowned. "She used her powers?"

Erik shook his head again quickly. "Not at all. She made me see that she was right. Charles had spent the entire week leading up to that fight trying to convince me that murder wasn't the answer, but it was Jamie who got through. She made me realize that I was turning into him. She showed me that I was so focused on my revenge, I forgot about living. And if she could learn to let go, after everything Shaw did to her, I had to acknowledge that it was possible. She got me to understand that I was capable of moving on. And she was right." He sighed. "Jamie and I… we're a lot alike. She understood where I was coming from with Shaw, but she also knew how to reach me and use words I would understand. The things Shaw did to her…" He shuddered lightly, remembering the nightmares Jamie had subconsciously projected. He swallowed harshly and forced himself to focus on the present. "And she knew that, beyond revenge, what I needed was a family. That's what I found here." He ducked his head to hide his blush.

The older Erik watched him curiously. It was amazing how different they were, even if they were the same person. He wished he could have had the same sort of presence when he had been that age.

"She sounds remarkable." Both Eriks whipped their heads around at the newcomer's voice.

The older Charles was sitting behind them in his chair, also observing the vast stars above them. There was a wistfulness to his voice that spoke of a longing for a peacefulness like this that he had not seen in years, in his own time.

Erik nodded awkwardly. "She is."

Charles drew himself out of his contemplative thoughts, and focused on his old friend, and the younger version of the man he had known most of his life. "She is a powerful young woman, and I can understand why the younger version of myself would be drawn to her. I believe we may have found the reason why our timelines are so different." He looked at his Erik. "When we did our recruiting, we did not track her down. That may have very well been what set us on our path."

"Why do you think you didn't find her?" the younger Erik asked curiously.

Charles shrugged. "We may never know for sure. Perhaps I thought she was too young. Perhaps I didn't touch her mind when searching with Cerebro. We did have a young man, whom I did not see this evening. His name was Darwin, and he was a taxi driver in New York." He looked down briefly. "Unfortunately, he was killed when Shaw attacked Division X while Erik and I were in Russia."

The younger Erik frowned in thought. "I think Charles mentioned him while we were recruiting, but he decided to go after Jamie instead. I didn't understand why, when we found her and I realized she was just a teenager. But I think Charles felt something in her mind that convinced him we needed her. And he was right."

Charles nodded slowly. "You mentioned she is also a telepath. And I cannot see inside her mind."

Erik inclined his head. "Yeah, neither can… my Charles. I think that's one of the things he loves about her. He knows that everything is real, because he's not just playing off of what he's 'hearing' from her."

"But she can see inside my mind," Charles clarified. Erik nodded, and Charles sighed. "So she already knows everything about our timeline."

Erik shrugged. "Most likely. Don't worry, she won't bring it up unless she really feels you need to talk about it. She's pretty good at that."

That didn't exactly reassure the two time travelers, but it did at least make Charles understand the look Jamie had been giving him earlier.

Rather than comment further, he simply wheeled himself up to the carved stone fence that separated the upper gardens from the lower gardens, and the rest of the backyard. He felt a sense of peace wash over him. It had been so long since he had been back here, and despite the tumulus early childhood years, he had missed the mansion, with the children running through the grounds, and the happiness that had resonated throughout the school, in the years before the war became apparent, touching everyone nearly all at once.

The younger Erik watched these two time travelers, still trying to figure them out. He knew that he and Charles were good friends, almost like brothers, and he got the same sort of feeling from this other version of them, but for some reason, it was just… different.

He was still observing them when Charles let out a long sigh and turned away from the grounds. His eyes sought out his Erik, before flickering over to the younger version. He smiled softly. "Come, we should get some rest."

The older Erik nodded agreeably, while the younger one just turned on his heel and headed inside.

The time travelers followed at a slower pace, still drinking in the feeling of being back here once more.

"I find myself wondering why we want to go back," Erik commented absentmindedly. "This world seems to have been much kinder than ours."

Charles glanced up at him. "Not necessarily kinder," he corrected. "They just made different choices, better choices. I would very much like to get to know Jamie, I must admit."

Erik raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You know, I think she's pretty happy with the you that's closer to her age."

Charles rolled his eyes. "You know exactly what I meant," he retorted.

Erik chuckled. "She seems to be at the center of everything, doesn't she."

"Indeed," Charles replied. He let out another sigh. "It is quite reassuring to see that there is a reality where our friendship survived past Cuba and Shaw, where we made the right decisions at the right time."

Erik nodded his agreement as they separated to their respective rooms for the night. They still had a lot to figure out, not least of which was how on Earth they were supposed to get back to their present time. That is, if it was even possible. And if they really wanted to leave. After all, what did they have waiting for them when they got back?

As Charles lay himself down to sleep, he mused that it was entirely possible that everyone they had known was now deceased. The explosion that had caused their current predicament could very well have been the Sentinels attacking. And if that were the case, all of their friends were dead.

It was a problem that would have to wait until tomorrow, though. Right now, it was late, and he was tired. It had been a long day.

**XXX**

The next morning, Jamie quietly pulled Kitty out of the dining room during breakfast. After a moment of searching, she found her other target, and gestured for Logan to join them. The man did so with no small amount of confusion and irritation.

Jamie rolled her eyes in amusement at the abrasive man. Charles had found him again a few months after the school had officially opened, and convinced Logan that he just wanted to offer a place to stay, should he need it. Logan had been hesitant, but had gone with Charles to check the mansion out, and then left immediately after. They had all been somewhat surprised when he had come back a few months later. Since then, he had been coming and going, like Azazel and Riptide, though Jamie – and the others – could tell that his visits were getting longer each time. Currently, he had been in residence for almost four months, and was making no mention of when he was planning on leaving.

The two confused mutants followed Jamie into the living room, where Charles was waiting. Kitty began panicking at that moment, afraid she had done something wrong and was about to be expelled.

Jamie quickly soothed her, promising that she wasn't in trouble. Once she had calmed down, Charles stepped forward, and explained the time travel situation.

Kitty frowned. "So I accidentally transported a group of people back in time?"

Jamie nodded soberly. "Not just back in time, but into a different reality. Their world most likely still exists out there somewhere."

"And why are you telling us this now?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Charles sighed. "We don't know how to send them back, or if it's even possible," he admitted. "So for the time being, there will be a second 'you', I suppose you could call it, in residence. We wished to inform you so that you would not accidentally stumble across them and react negatively."

Kitty nodded slowly. "Thanks, I guess. Wow, this is weird. Is she older?"

Jamie inclined her head. "About fifty years older." She glanced at Logan. "You look pretty much the same."

Logan shrugged. That wasn't a surprise. He didn't exactly age, so he would look the same in fifty years.

Charles cleared his throat. "That's all. We'll let you get back to your breakfasts now, thank you."

The two quickly turned and headed back to the dining room, leaving Charles and Jamie alone.

The couple waited a moment longer, before they also left the living room, heading for the garden in the backyard.

As most of the school's inhabitants were either asleep or eating breakfast, they had the grounds to themselves, as they wandered through the greenery, hands entwined, talking in sentences that moved easily between mental and verbal.

_Is there even a way to send them back?_ Jamie asked, glancing at her fiancé curiously.

Charles shrugged somewhat helplessly. "I'm not sure," he admitted. _The only one I know who has that kind of power is Kitty, and the older version of her has already admitted she has no idea what happened, or how to fix it._

Jamie sighed. "So what if we can't send them back? Wouldn't it be… weird, to have them here, permanently?"

Charles looked at her. "What other option do we have? I'm not going to insist they leave the mansion. Besides being completely rude, technically, this is his house as well."

Jamie shook her head. _I don't know. It's just… weird._

Charles chuckled lightly, nodding his agreement.

They spent a while longer in the gardens, before the older Charles found them, his smile conveying both surprise that another version of himself had found a partner, and discomfort at seeing himself in such a serious relationship – yes, he had seen the engagement ring on Jamie's finger, so he knew it was serious. He knew it wasn't the relationship itself, he could see how much they loved each other, even without trying to read any minds. It was just strange, thinking about a life he could have had, had he made different decisions when he was younger.

The young couple greeted the older man somewhat stiltedly, but it was understandable, considering the circumstances.

The older Charles smiled warmly. "I am glad I found you," he said calmly, putting away his misgivings and discomfort, though not before noting the understanding expression on Jamie's face. Of course she would have already seen it. "We have all gathered in the living room once more, if you would care to join us?"

Jamie and Charles shared a look, and the older man was almost jealous at the way those two understood each other, even without words. He didn't think they were even using mental ones, as they turned back to him and nodded their agreement.

It was a somewhat awkward walk back through the garden and into the mansion.

After a few minutes, the younger Charles coughed, clearing his throat. "Weren't you angry, after Erik deflected that bullet?" he asked curiously.

His older counterpart sighed wearily, before nodding slightly. "At the time, yes," he admitted.

Charles frowned. "So how did you become friends again?" he asked, confused. He wasn't sure how he could salvage that friendship with a man who had crippled him, and that wasn't even getting into what it must have been like for the other him to watch his sister desert him, choosing Erik over her own brother.

The older Charles shrugged with one shoulder. "Erik and I have a complicated history." He rubbed a hand across his face, before focusing his gaze straight ahead, not looking at either of his companions. "After that incident on the beach, I was a very angry man. I focused my attention on getting the school up and running, something that took much longer than it did for you, it would seem." He sighed again, his eyes sad as he remembered the events of his youth. "It was difficult, but we made it happen, and then, within a year, most of the students and teachers were gone, drafted for the war."

Charles inhaled sharply, and Jamie looked worried. She didn't want to know about how many of her friends, how many of the students in residence had lost their lives in the war.

The older Charles looked over at them. "It is obvious that that didn't happen here. I am curious as to why."

Charles bit his lip. "It's difficult to say where the diversions happened, and why things went differently."

Jamie glanced at him. "I think the difference is that we're working with the government here. Moira is the head of the Mutant Relations Division of the CIA. We register our students, and anyone else who lives here, full or part time, with her department, and that exempted everyone from the draft."

The older Charles looked disturbed. He remembered fighting with the government over the need to register mutants.

Jamie nodded, knowing what he was thinking. "It's not like that," she reassured him. Charles raised an eyebrow. "It's just to let them know how many people we have in residence. They don't track us or anything. We've got a pretty good relationship with the government, here."

Charles nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense." His younger counterpart shifted slightly, and the older man smiled softly, trusting that these people knew what they were doing, and remembering the actual question posed. They had gotten a bit off track. "In any event, I entered a state of depression for a while. Hank stayed with me, but the rest had left by that point. There was a period of time where I took stimulants to help myself walk again. The downside was that it also took away my ability to read minds."

The younger Charles raised an eyebrow at the idea of wanting to walk so badly he might be willing to give up part of what made him, him. However, he didn't comment when he saw how much the older him regretted that decision.

The older Charles shook his head slightly. "It was a mistake. It took a while, but eventually, I had to force myself out of it. By that point, the war was nearly over, and far too many had died." His gaze was far away, thoughts stretching over countless years and two realities. "Hank was a great help. We started the school again, though with far fewer students and teachers."

"What about Erik and Raven?" the younger Charles asked, almost afraid of the answer.

His older counterpart sighed sadly. "They were off on their own. I didn't see them for years, and when we did finally meet again, it was as enemies. One of my greatest regrets is that I did not get a chance to reconcile with Raven before her death."

Jamie bit her lip. "I don't understand what would push Raven to do such a thing. She's never been a murderer, and I don't see how her inherent character could be so different in another reality."

The older Charles frowned in thought. "She saw many of her friends taken by Trask. She knew he had killed them, experimented on them. She was driven mad by grief. I do not want to provide excuses, for her actions ultimately doomed us all; she made her own choices. Wrong ones, but they were hers to make. I cannot pretend to understand; however, I can imagine what drove her to that point."

The younger couple supposed they could see as well. However, it was so different from the Raven they knew, that it was more than a little shocking.

They reached the doors, but the older Charles stopped before going inside, drawing his companions' attention. His expression was serious and more than a little hopeless. "We understand how disruptive our appearance is on you. We do not wish to cause you undue pain or discomfort. However, there is a possibility that we will not be able to go back, and even if we do manage it, you must understand that we don't have much to return to. That last attack by the Sentinels likely killed our remaining friends. There is nothing waiting for us in that timeline."

Charles and Jamie looked at each other, before Charles nodded soberly. "We know," he replied quietly. "We won't force you to return if it is not your wish to do so."

Jamie sighed softly. "It's going to take some getting used to, but Charles is right." She glanced at the large mansion looming above them. "We told Logan and Kitty this morning. Both were a little shocked, but they'll get used to it." She looked at her fiancé. "I just hope Logan doesn't take off again."

Charles smiled and grasped her hand reassuringly. "He'll be fine. We'll all be fine." He looked at his older counterpart. "We should go find the others, yes?"

The older Charles nodded, and the trio made their way inside.

_Like I've said before, I really don't know where I'm going with this. Please bear with me! And of course, REVIEW!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize**

When they reached the living room, the entire group was waiting for them. Everyone who had been there the night before was there, and it looked like Logan and Kitty from the current timeline had also decided they should be a part of this. The two newer additions were sitting off to one side, with Kitty sneaking constant glances at her alternate, older counterpart.

Logan was just glaring at his.

When Charles and Jamie entered, most of the group visibly relaxed; though they all held pretty significant roles in the small community of mutants that lived at Xavier Mansion, those two _were_ the leaders.

The futures also relaxed when they saw their Charles enter behind the young couple.

It was clear that they didn't really know what to say to each other, so the older Erik didn't waste any time in asking his Charles how they were supposed to get back to their own world.

Charles sighed wearily. "Honestly I don't know," he said simply. "I have never come across a situation like this."

Shadowcat shifted uneasily. "What if we can't get back?" she wondered, glancing at the present day group.

The younger Kitty grinned. "You can stay here!"

Shadowcat looked at her younger version, idly wondering if she had ever been that hyper when she was that age, before deciding that she grew up in a different time, with a threat of war constantly hovering. This was a different timeline, and she couldn't compare herself to this reality's version of her.

The older Erik and Charles shared a look, before Charles cleared his throat. "We have broached the topic, and have been assured that we can stay here however long we need."

Some of the present group looked uncomfortable, but they weren't going to bring it up if Charles and Jamie had already approved it. The present day Logan seemed the most upset with the knowledge, but he also held his tongue, settling on simply glaring at as many of the future group that he could.

"How are we supposed to explain the situation to everyone else?" Alex asked curiously. He shrugged when they all looked at him. "If you guys end up staying for a while, people will be wondering why there's two of some of you."

He flushed a little under the scrutiny, but the younger Charles nodded understandingly. "No, you're right, Alex. We will have to come up with something."

His older counterpart shifted in his wheelchair. "Perhaps the easiest thing for us to do is find somewhere else to reside. I am certain there are houses nearby that we could rent or buy. We do not wish to cause undue stress."

"We'll think of something," younger Charles confirmed. "In the meantime, Hank, would you be willing to work with… Shadowcat," he reminded himself to use the older Kitty's codename, to distinguish them. He didn't know that Kitty, so he should maintain some distance. "… to see if you can find a solution?"

Hank nodded quickly, glancing at the time traveler, who was watching him with an expression part acceptance, part confusion. He didn't know what that meant, but he just gave Raven a quick kiss on the cheek, before he stood up and led Shadowcat out of the room.

The older Charles watched the exchange with interest. He was used to not searching for thoughts in rooms he entered, and was quite able to keep his mind to himself, so he hadn't really picked up on that relationship. He remembered a slight crush Hank had had on his sister when they had just formed their group to combat Shaw, but then Raven had left with Erik, and with the war, nothing had developed. Hank had been killed eight years ago, from his perspective, and the grief still hadn't completely left him. Hank had been a good friend, colleague, and ally.

Since it seemed that they wouldn't be discussing anything more, the present Logan immediately stood up and walked out, without a word.

Jamie rolled her eyes. "Big baby," she muttered. Charles nudged her lightly, giving her a slightly reproving look, and Jamie shook her head. "Well he is," she protested.

Charles raised an eyebrow, and Jamie huffed, annoyed.

The Logan currently in the room felt some confusion. "Am I missing something?" he asked, wondering if it was even worth asking.

Jamie glanced at him. "He's just sulking. Ignore him."

Logan shrugged. "I remember what I was like at this point. This is pretty much what I'd expect."

Jamie snorted lightly, and ignored the incredulous glances her friends shot her. "Like I said. He's sulking. He needs to grow up and realize that the whole world isn't actually out to get him. When did you figure that out?" She looked at the future Logan intently, and the Wolverine felt himself squirming under her scrutiny.

He glanced at his Charles for some help, but found the man just watching, amused.

He turned back to Jamie and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe a couple years after I arrived at the mansion? But then, in our time, I didn't meet Charles for another thirty years or so."

Jamie looked disappointed. "Well, it was worth a shot," she grumbled. Charles nudged her with his elbow, and she pushed him back. "On the bright side, this is a different reality, so maybe there's still hope for him."

Angel and Raven laughed, while the rest looked amused.

After another minute, Raven excused herself to go watch Hank work, and see if she could help at all.

Azazel and Riptide decided to leave as well; they promised to come back soon, saying their goodbyes quickly, almost ignoring the future group, still unsure about the whole situation.

Moira followed them out, intent on heading up to her room to catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation.

The rest of the group settled in once more, unsure of what to do with themselves, but not having a ready-made excuse to get out of the room, since they didn't really have any pressing concerns at the moment.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Logan turned to Alex. "So you're Alex Summers, right?"

Alex nodded slowly. "Yeah…" There was an implied question there, as he wondered how he knew Logan in the other timeline, and if they had a cordial relationship, something he doubted by the way the man was looking at him now.

Logan tilted his head slightly to the side. "Your brother talked about you a lot." 

Alex's expression didn't clear. "You know Scott?"

Logan nodded. "Yeah." He frowned, remembering Scott. And of course, when he remembered Scott, he couldn't help but think of Jean.

Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Did he do something to you? You don't seem to have fond memories."

Logan shrugged, his gaze falling to the floor. "We had a… complicated relationship. He was a good man, we just didn't really get along too well."

Alex pursed his lips. "Was. I take it he didn't make it?" He looked around at the futures, and they all nodded sadly. He turned back to Logan. "I take it I didn't make it either."

Charles was the one to answer, his voice sad as he thought about all of the friends he had lost over the years. "I am afraid that we lost you rather early on, Alex. Your last request of me was to find your brother and keep him safe." He looked away, focusing instead on the far wall. "I always felt guilty that I failed in that request, in the end."

Alex swallowed. "What happened?" he asked, hoping his voice didn't sound as shaky as he thought it did.

None of the futures answered immediately, but after a moment, Jamie bit her lip. "You don't want to know," she said quietly.

The futures looked at her sharply, but she just shook her head sadly. She could see the events as they had played out in their timeline, and Alex didn't need to know everything.

Alex looked at her, wanting to snap at her to stay out of it, that it was his brother. But seeing the look on her face, he decided not to push. She was one of his best friends, practically like his honorary sister. If she was telling him he didn't want to know, she probably had a good reason.

Logan was surprised when Alex didn't push for more information. It was just more evidence of how important Jamie was to these people and this timeline. He swallowed, and forced himself to remember the good things about Scott, and try and find something he could share with Summers' older brother. He had never known Alex, but Scott had mentioned him a few times, always things about how much he missed his older brother, and how Alex had been his best friend. How much he wished he could have had a chance to see his brother again.

"Can you tell me anything about him?" Alex asked curiously. "I mean, I know what he's like here, I'm just curious about the differences. This is just… weird," he finished lamely.

Charles and Jamie shared a look as they tried not to laugh, remembering how Jamie had been describing the experience just a little while ago.

The future Charles looked at Logan, before he leaned forward slightly. "Scott was a fine young man," he assured Alex. "He was a great friend and a powerful ally."

"Did he have a lot of friends?" Alex asked.

Charles smiled softly, remembering the man he had spent many years fighting alongside. "He did. He taught at the school for a while, and many of his students and colleagues praised him. He also –" Charles cut himself off and glanced at Logan. When the Wolverine nodded resignedly, the telepath continued. "He had a fiancée. From what I could see, they were very much in love."

Alex swallowed. His brother was currently a teenager. Alex wasn't quite ready to deal with girlfriends, let alone fiancées. "What was her name?"

"… Jean," was the soft reply, from Logan. When Alex looked at him, he cleared his throat. "Her name was Jean. She was a wonderful person."

Alex frowned. It was pretty obvious to him that Logan had had feelings for this 'Jean' as well. Was that why he wasn't the biggest fan of Scott?

As if sensing his thoughts, Logan looked up, and shrugged. "That's part of why I respected him so much," he admitted. "He knew how I felt about his fiancée, but he never let that stop him from having my back. We did get along, after a while. We just never became great friends."

Alex nodded slowly. "Thanks for telling me," he said softly settling back into his seat. His expression was nearly unreadable, but Jamie hoped he wouldn't brood about the information he had just learned.

The younger Charles cleared his throat. "We have yet to find this Jean," he commented idly. "We will certainly keep an eye out."

"If Alex doesn't get to her first," Sean chuckled.

Alex glared at his friend, while Jamie rolled her eyes, only slightly amused. She could see the events as they had played out for the Charles and Logan of the future. It hadn't been pretty, and she could see how this Jean had affected all of them, even after her death.

"So what happened to her?" the present Erik asked curiously.

The older Charles shared a look with Logan, before he sighed wearily. "She was killed many years ago," he admitted. "Her death hit us all, and is not something we wish to discuss."

Erik didn't look satisfied, but glanced at Jamie, and when she shook her head slightly, he dropped the subject.

Logan appeared to be very relieved, as he stood up and muttered an excuse that none of them heard, before he left the room.

After another moment, Angel stood up as well, and headed off in search of something interesting to amuse her for the rest of the day. Jamie knew that meant she was going to go bother some of the other mutants with similar powers, until they agreed to a version of aerial tag. Sean, also knowing what the older woman was planning, quickly followed her out, pointedly ignoring Jamie's badly hidden snort of amusement.

When the futures looked at her, she shook her head.

The younger Charles rolled his eye and placed an arm around her shoulders, smiling contentedly. He didn't really know how to react to the whole idea of another reality out there, where so many of his friends were gone. But there was one thing he did know, and that was that being faced with a much more world-weary and lonely version of him had made him grateful for all that he had in this timeline.

Jamie, hearing his thoughts, looked up at him and grinned. She leaned up to give him a kiss, which he accepted and returned eagerly.

The present day Erik coughed pointedly, and then resorted to shoving Charles when the couple ignored him.

Charles leaned back and glared at his friend, but Erik just shrugged. "If you two are going to have make out sessions based on mental conversations, you can do it somewhere else."

Charles and Jamie looked at each other for a moment, and then stood up and left the room.

Erik rolled his eyes. "They'll be occupied for a while," he informed the futures.

"I take it they do this often?" Charles asked, trying not to smile.

Erik huffed, annoyed. On the other sofa, Alex wore an expression halfway between annoyance and amusement. "I thought they'd calm down eventually. They've been together for three years."

"When is the wedding?" Charles asked, curiously. He hoped he could get to know the woman the alternate him was so in love with, since she appeared to be such an anchor in this timeline.

Alex shrugged. "Don't ask them that. They don't seem to be in a huge rush." He and Erik shared a knowing look, remembering how they had found out about the engagement. It had been nearly four days after the fact, and the only reason they even knew at all was because Raven had spotted it on Jamie's finger and made a big deal out of it. After a moment of silence, the younger man sighed. "They're not really big into labels. I was actually a little surprised Charles even proposed; that doesn't mean I think they'll break up or anything, I just wouldn't expect an actual wedding any time soon. The way they see it, they're together, they're in love, and that's all that matters."

Charles nodded slowly; he supposed that wasn't too different from himself. He wasn't huge on the concept of marriage, even if he had managed to find someone to share forever with.

Erik growled, glaring at the door, even though the couple was long gone. "They should have the decency to at least think of us, as well."

His older counterpart glanced at him, concerned and a little confused. He had thought that this reality's Erik and Charles were better friends than he and his Charles had been at this point in time; he wasn't sure why the younger man was so disgruntled right now. Wasn't he used to it?

Erik returned his gaze to the group in the living room. "If we have to put up with it all the time, we should get something out of it. How many chances am I going to get to be best man?"

Alex snorted, and then covered his mouth with one hand. A second later, he appeared to give up trying to control it, and started laughing.

The future Erik and Charles looked at each other, bemused.

After a few moments, Alex managed to get himself under control. "It must be difficult for you, Erik. Please, you should let them know how you feel. Can I be there when you do it?"

Erik's glare intensified, but the younger man just shrugged it off, still amused.

With a nearly inaudible huff, the metal bender stood up and stalked out of the room.

Alex rolled his eyes. "If you guys are good, I'm going to go find Scott. He promised me his History report was finished, but I have a feeling he's lying to me."

Charles inclined his head, and watched as Alex walked out, leaving him and Erik alone.

"Were we ever that youthful?" Erik asked absentmindedly.

Charles sighed. "We were too busy fighting each other and the world to enjoy what we had in front of us," he admitted. "It was a mistake, but perhaps coming here was the best thing we could have done. It is refreshing, and I will admit to no small amount of jealousy over the life another me is living."

Erik chuckled dryly. "I am relieved to know that somewhere out there is a me who made the right choices. You are right, of course. No matter what happens when and if we get back to our own time, I will take comfort in the knowledge that there is a reality where our friendship survived, as did our friends."

Charles nodded his agreement. "I find myself unable to decide whether or not I want Kitty to find us a way back."

"I think we all feel that way, my friend," Erik assured him. "But until we know whether or not it is possible, there's no use worrying. Shall we explore our former home?"

Charles agreed, and the pair left the living room, deciding to spend the day outside, enjoying the relaxed and peaceful atmosphere, after spending so much time hiding and running, always wary of being outdoors.

**XXX**

After a week of experimentation and research, Hank and Shadowcat had to admit defeat. There were only so many times they could go back and forth discussing the same failed solutions before succumbing to the fact that they just couldn't get the future group back to their own time.

Of course, none of them were too worried about it, since quite frankly, they were much happier in this timeline, without all the war and death.

Once they accepted that they couldn't go back to their own reality, the younger Charles made an official announcement to the school, explaining the situation. Surprisingly – or not, considering – no one questioned it, and accepted the fact that there were a group of people who had come from the future, and would be staying pretty much permanently.

The older Charles and Erik agreed that they didn't want to stay in the mansion full time, since it wasn't their timeline, and they really didn't belong. Together with the younger Charles, they worked to find a suitable house nearby, and within a month, the group from the future had moved out of Xavier Mansion. They still visited from time to time, but they were busy acclimating themselves to a peaceful world.

Shadowcat spent more of her time at the mansion, as she had indicated her desire to return to a teaching position, something she had enjoyed before the school had closed many years earlier in her own time.

The two Logans definitely did not get along, but thankfully, the future Logan understood, and stayed away from the mansion as much as possible, so as not to alienate the current Logan, who, for all his grumbling, still hadn't left Westchester, something Charles and Jamie considered progress.

It wasn't exactly comfortable, but it worked.

It was strange, knowing that there were two of you living in one reality, but all in all, Charles and Erik thought they were handling it. It helped Erik to know that he had made wiser choices than his counterpart, and was, in fact, living a far better life.

Charles just tried to avoid engaging in lengthy conversation with his, since it mostly just gave him a headache.

Jamie thought it was amusing, but those who knew her well – mostly Charles – knew that she was more affected than she let on. It was sobering to hear about how badly things had ended up in that other reality, but Jamie had seen it, experienced it through the eyes of those who had lived it.

They talked about it a little, but for the most part, they just tried to get used to it and move on.

And after a while, they did. As a few weeks passed, and then a few months, the hype of having these time travelers in their midst calmed down, and the students refocused on their studies.

Kitty was still excited about the idea of being taught by a future her, but the newness of the idea had died down. Within six months, it was almost as if these people had always been around.

Even though they weren't living at the mansion, they came by frequently, so the students and teachers were used to their presence.

Logan made it a couple more months before he left, feeling very uncomfortable with the idea of another him nearby. But, he did leave some of his belongings in the room he used whenever he was in residence, so Charles and Jamie knew he would be back.

So it was strange, and awkward, and none of them really knew what to say when they ran into each other – and they did run into each other; even if they weren't living in the mansion, they spent their time there, embracing a happy scene, without the pain and fear and death that had surrounded them in another time, fifty years down the road.

They stopped trying to find a way back, even the cursory research that had sprung up when Hank and Shadowcat had admitted that they couldn't do it. After all, what did they have to return to?

And even if they did, there really was no way to get back.

So they moved on. The group from the future resettled themselves into life, working hard to remember what things were like at that time, and being careful not to divulge any future knowledge that could have disastrous effects. Only the core group from the present knew the details of the war, and they weren't pushing for more information.

The present-day Charles implored them to refrain from asking questions, citing the dangers of having that information.

And because they trusted Charles, they obeyed his request.

So yeah, it wasn't easy, but it worked.

_Please review!_


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